Advice on a recently purchased Maplenoll Athena

I was able to finally get the turntable up and running, though it does have a steep learning curve.  I solved the platter spindle problem using a drill press and a 20-cent drywall anchor.  The original air pump died so I spent a fair amount of time researching replacements, until it dawned on me to take apart the pump box, find the model number of the pump, and use various internet search engines.  I was able to locate 2 separate pumps from the same manufacturer, one was the original 7 psi, and the second one is 12 psi.  Each one cost around $100.   I also built a new box for the air pump and was able to lower the pump DB from 68 to 41.  I shortened the air hose from ~100 feet to ~30, removed the tonearm air bearing and pumped 90% isopropyl alcohol through it to clean and did the same treatment to the shortened air hose.  I have 3 additional projects: complete replacing the power switch to the table; resolve an issue where the turntable motor will run backwards when it has been running for the length of a record (most likely caused by a bad capacitor); add a filter for moisture removal. 

I don't regret the purchase, and it performs just as I remember when I first experienced this turntable, some 35 years ago.

I am more than willing to assist you in your project, though I am far from an expert.

Best regards,

Joel

Not intending to hijack the thread, just popping my head in go say “hi”.  
i recently bought a Maplenoll, that is a bit of a fixer-upper.  Looking for a support group of sorts to help each other solve issues like yours, along with others that pop up.  

When current, I bought a new Maplenoll Athena.  For the first month or possibly 6 weeks it was one of the best table/arms I've heard.  Then it stopped working normally.  I waited weeks for my dealer to make repairs but he gave up and refunded my purchase.  Some time later I read that proper filtration on the air lines to the arm and platter were critical.  Apparently that was missing from my version.

Years later there were articles in TAS (Enid Lumley?) on maintenance and optimizing the Athena.  Probably worthwhile if found by any current owners.

Mijo, The hoses are because the Proscenium has an air bearing platter and an air bearing tonearm, which is an homage to Maple Knoll, even also including the lead platter, albeit the Proscenium platter is gigantic in size and mass compared to any Maple Knoll.  When the Proscenium was introduced, there were those who accused Walker of copycat-ism.  Nevertheless, it is a great sounding TT.

@jpost Do you have a drill press? You can not just enlarge the hole with any old hand held drill, VERY inaccurate. You chuck up a drill exactly the same size as the hole. You lower the drill into the hole and lock the press in place. Then you clamp the part down so it can not move, raise the drill, remove that drill and replace it with one the size you want and drill the hole. You have used the press to accurately locate the hole. 

@lewm IMHO the Walker Proscenium is the audio Rube Goldberg device of all time. You might strangle yourself in all the hoses.

Sorry to hear about Pierre. I used to be a casual friend but had not seen him or heard from him for many years, much more than 3 years. Because of the public and private silence, I did suppose that he might have passed, which is why I used the euphemism "active". As in, you and I are still "active", Doggie. Does Mapleshade still exist? Pierre was more than a fan of Maple Knoll TTs; he had a side business restoring or upgrading them. The Walker Audio Proscenium was a very juiced up Maple Knoll; maybe one of Lloyd’s disciples could help the OP, too.

"I don’t know if Pierre is still active but I think the company still exists."

Umm...Pierre passed 3 years ago.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Sprey

I do remember their cataolgs mentioning  how Pierre was a Maplenoll fan.

Hopefully, the OP can get his setup running  soon.

You might contact Mapleshade Audio. Pierre Sprey of  Mapleshade used to upgrade those TTs. I don’t know if Pierre is still active but I think the company still exists.

Thank you for confirming my fears.  I have stumbled upon a potential solution that would require me to slightly enlarge the spindle hole.  What are your thoughts on this ?

Best regards,

Joel

@jpost I hate to be the purveyor of bad news, but what you have there is best described as trash:-( You might be able to get a Clearaudio magnetic bearing assembly and fit the subplatter to it, but my sense is you would be throwing good money after bad.

Bob Dilger was the last owner for a short period before he drove the company under and went to work for Lloyd Walker.

Interesting, I thought Bob Dilger was the owner of Maplenoll. This post has many details on the tables and other posts in the thread may also be of interest.

You could email Bruce Thigpen at Eminent Technology.

https://www.eminent-tech.com

He was the designer and owner of Mapleknoll.